PBZ backs always-on ‘digital fortress’ in the heart of Eastern Europe
A state-of-the-art data facility has opened in Croatia, thanks to a loan from PBZ
13/01/2025
A subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo has financed a new data complex in Varaždin, Croatia.
DC North – run by CRATIS, one of the leading IT firms in Croatia – is the largest and most advanced facility of its kind in the country. It is now open for business, following a two-year design and construction period.
The complex was financed by an €11million investment from Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ), a subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo – reflecting Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s commitment to finance future-facing digital infrastructure.
DC North is the only data centre in Croatia that holds an Uptime Tier III Facility certificate from the Uptime Institute in the US.
Tier III facilities can be maintained without downtime because they have multiple paths for power and cooling, along with systems to keep servers online.
Tier III centres have an expected uptime of 99.982% (equivalent to 1.6 hours of downtime annually).
The 12,000 sq m facility has more than 2,000 sq m of IT space, improving connectivity across Croatia and internationally. It has its own power supply and its own radar.
DC North is also a hub for European connectivity, with fibres from Austria, Hungary and Slovenia passing through it.
"DC North has been recognised as a Project of National Interest, creating opportunities to leverage products and services that enhance Croatia’s transformation in digitalisation, decarbonisation and social growth."
Matija Grabar, CEO and chairman of CRATIS’s supervisory board
Grabar originates from Varaždin and the building is dedicated to his grandfather Ivan, who dedicated most of his life to the area and whose photograph is installed at the entrance.
DC North is powered by solar energy from panels on its roof, embodying Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s commitment to greener business and reducing the impact of its energy use on the wider environment.
It is a drive away from Zagreb, but not in the same seismic area – meaning that if an earthquake were to happen in the capital, connectivity is less likely to be interrupted.
This also means DC North serves as a disaster recovery centre, a critical infrastructure node for Eastern Europe.
Disaster recovery data centers are equipped with redundant systems, backup power supplies and other critical infrastructure to ensure data and applications remain accessible and operational during disruptions.
When a disaster such as a data loss or cyberattack occurs, organisations can use a disaster recovery site.
It will access data from the most recent backup or a previous point in time, switch to using the disaster recovery site until a primary location is restored and keep disruption to a minimum.
Such is the importance of the centre that its opening ceremony was attended by the Croatian president, as well as high-ranking representatives of the Croatian government.
The building was designed by Vertiv, a leader in infrastructure design. It is located on the outskirts of the former Croatian capital, which is known for its Baroque old town, churches and cobbled streets, as well as its white-walled castle.
Now the town has a modern-day data fortress, complete with a striking honeycomb design.
The complex was financed by an €11million investment from Privredna banka Zagreb (PBZ), a subsidiary of Intesa Sanpaolo – reflecting Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s commitment to finance future-facing digital infrastructure.
DC North is the only data centre in Croatia that holds an Uptime Tier III Facility certificate from the Uptime Institute in the US.
Tier III facilities can be maintained without downtime because they have multiple paths for power and cooling, along with systems to keep servers online.
Tier III centres have an expected uptime of 99.982% (equivalent to 1.6 hours of downtime annually).
The 12,000 sq m facility has more than 2,000 sq m of IT space, improving connectivity across Croatia and internationally. It has its own power supply and its own radar.
DC North is also a hub for European connectivity, with fibres from Austria, Hungary and Slovenia passing through it.
"This digital fortress was designed in cooperation with a global leader in designing, building and servicing critical infrastructure."
Mislav Baković, real estate and infrastructure project finance director at PBZ
DC North is powered by solar energy from panels on its roof, embodying Intesa Sanpaolo Group’s commitment to greener business and reducing the impact of its energy use on the wider environment.
"This next-generation facility is fully sustainable and powered by solar panels, ensuring not only the protection of the very foundations of the digital era on which we all depend, but also energy efficiency in many ways.
In line with achieving ESG targets, digitalisation and innovation are essential for driving sustainable growth."
Alice Grittini, head of ESG Business Acceleration, Intesa Sanpaolo
PBZ is strongly committed to ESG and becoming its clients’ true partner on their joint path to a sustainable future. Having recognised the importance of the DC North project, the bank financially supported the client in setting the standard for data management and recovery, with a final goal of improving connectivity across Europe.
